Dirty Secret
by Lallmon
Summary: Life is complicated for Draco, and things seem to become more complicated as each day passes. Draco is a reformed man, but no one appears to realize that not even the love of his life. Will Draco ever escape his past? Multichapter/AU/Mature content & language ***HIATUS*** under rewrite
1. Chapter 1

**** I don't know anything Harry Potter. I'm just someone who fell in love with the series and stays awake at night thinking up alternate plotlines****

* * *

Draco walked into the formal dining room in the manor. He didn't feel like dealing with his mother and father, but after spending the entire weekend away from the manor, he figured it would be best to show his face.

"Draco, where have you been?" Narcissa Malfoy asked from her seat to the right of her husband. The years after the war had been kind to the female Malfoy, but she still wore the stress of the war on her face and in the set of her shoulders.

"Good morning mother. Father." Draco dipped his head but barely spared a glance at his father. Draco sat as far away from his parents as he could. Which wasn't a struggle considering their dining table could seat twenty-two.

"Your mother asked you a question Draco." Lucius reminded while setting down his goblet. While the years had been kind to his wife the same could not be said for Lucius Malfoy. His robes clung to his loose frame, and his once shiny mane looked lackluster. The harsh angles of his once aristocratic face only looked sinister now.

Draco gritted his teeth. "I had a commitment that required my presence elsewhere."

Lucius tapped his fingers on the dining table. "I see."

Narcissa looked uncomfortable but turned to face Draco fully. "Well, in any case, I am glad you are home."

Draco spared his mother a small smile. His mother had always been a beacon of love and understanding. Draco knew it wasn't fair how he treated his mother, but being in the same room as his father made him want to dance in a field of fiendfyre. Draco was not the same little boy he had been in Hogwarts or even the war. Draco did not idolize his father anymore and did not believe in his so-called family values. Lucius Malfoy should be rotting in Azkaban.

Breakfast passed in strained silence only occasionally broken by Narcissa attempting to make small talk with Draco. Draco glanced at his watch relieved to see it was time to go to work. Draco stood, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. Draco turned and walked briskly to the exit when his father's voice made him pause.

"Draco when you return I would like to speak with you in my study," Lucius stated calmly, but Draco heard the edge in his voice.

Draco raised his eyebrow, "until then." Draco did not like the calculating look in his father's slate colored eyes.

The Ministry of Magic was a mad house. Bulbs flashed, and paper memos swirled around the atrium. Draco ducked his head and began to shoulder his way from the fireplaces to the lifts. He worked at the bottom level of the Ministry as an unspeakable. He didn't need to work because the Malfoy fortune had managed to survive through the war and the war tribunal. However, after the war, no one wanted to take money that was tainted by the Malfoy family. In fact, Draco was lucky to have a job at all after he was cleared by the war tribunal. No one would hire him anywhere in Diagon Alley, and Draco refused to work anywhere that had a connection to the dark arts. His mother had written to Harry Potter and begged him to find employment for Draco. Potter had a soft spot for his mother, and so Draco found himself gainfully employed as an office lackey in the magical law enforcement department.

Fast forward ten years and Draco was now a respected member of wizarding society. People no longer sneered at him or gave him a wide berth when they came into contact with him. The first five years after the war had been miserable, but he had persevered, and now the only unpleasant thing about his life was his father.

Draco made it to the lift and stepped in beside another wizard.

"Potter" Draco nodded and smirked at the boy who lived. Harry Potter looked like he hadn't aged a day. His hair was still shaggy, and his glassy still sat crookedly on his nose. Potter was smartly dressed in black robes with gold fastenings. His robes were parted and showed that he was wearing black slacks and a white oxford shirt and tie.

Potter tugged at his tie and grimaced. "Bloody heads meeting this morning. You think we would have better things to do than sitting around and argue about letter heads!"

"Careful Potter sounds like you don't like being head Auror." Draco joked.

"That's because I don't." The lift had grated to a stop, and Potter stepped off. "See ya, Malfoy." As the lift doors closed once more, Draco watched Potter remove his tie and incinerate it.

Draco pushed himself back from his desk and groaned as he stretched his back. Today had been an incredibly stressful day, and a headache throbbed behind his eyes. Working in the death room was always something he dreaded, but today the whispers from the veil had seemed uncommonly loud. It probably didn't help that Draco had been distracted all afternoon by the thought of talking to his father. Draco barely spoke more than a string of sentences at one time to his father over the last eight years. Draco had made his opinion perfectly clear of where he and his father stood.

When Draco arrived home, his mother was nowhere to be found which was never a good sign. Draco squared his shoulders and headed to his father's study.

Draco paused before the door and drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Draco opened the door and walked in. Lucius looked up from behind his desk in surprise and then narrowed his eyes. Draco knew that not knocking would irk his father.

"Please have a se-" Lucius started to gesture to the chair in front of his desk, but Draco seated himself with an impassive expression. Draco lounged casually with his arm draped over the back of the chair and rested his ankle on his knee. Lucius took in Draco's calm demeanor with barely concealed disgust.

Lucius shuffled the paper on his desk and cleared his throat. "It has come to my attention that you have been spending a great deal of time away from the manner."

Draco only cocked a pale brow.

"You have a responsibility to this family, and you are disparaging your ancestry by consorting with whoever this female is and I know she is not a pure blood" Lucius spoke as if he delivered dire news.

Draco laughed and leaned forward.

"Oh this family is disgraced father, but not because of me." Draco sneered

Lucius stood and walked toward the fireplace of his office.

"We have a rep-" Lucius began.

"Of course we have a reputation! And the only reason that reputation is even half way decent is that I have worked to make it so!" Draco thundered.

"I will not have you bring filth into this family!" If Lucius was permitted a wand, Draco was sure his father would have cursed him. As it were, Lucius's wand was snapped as a condition of his release from Azkaban.

Draco forced himself to relax and let his pale eyes rest on Lucius's face.

"The only filth left in this family is standing before me."

Lucius snarled, "you won't be able to hide who she is forever. She will only use you for your money. Hiding your relations with this woman will not save you public ridicule!'

"Who said I was hiding her? Has it ever occurred to you that it is her that wants our relationship a secret because of who I am? You are behind the time's father dearest; pureblood society has changed much since your heyday."

"You will end this now!" Lucius slashed his hand through the air.

Draco laughed in earnest now. "Or what? You're going to be the one to stop me?"

"I will do what I must" Lucius spat forcefully.

"You do realize that you are only here in this house because I permit it. One word from me and you will be sent straight back to Azkaban. Threaten me again, and that is exactly where you will end up" Draco exited the study and balled his fisted.

The only reason Lucius was not rotting in a cell is that his mother begged for his release. When Lucius had come up for parole two years ago, Narcissa convinced Draco and Harry to petition for his release. Lucius was released into Draco's custody without a wand and under the condition that he would not leave the manner. Potter also routinely checks in with Lucius and inspects the manner. Draco couldn't understand the love and devotion his mother felt for his father even after everything he put them through.

* * *

This is my first time posting! Pretty nerve racking but I think I did alright. I am looking for a beta who wouldn't mind critiquing for a noob. Please be honest and I know I could work on setting the scene a little more but I am hoping some good feedback will help me.


	2. Chapter 2

"Draco where are you going?" Narcissa asked in a pleading voice.

Draco stilled with his hand in the floo powder vase. Draco had hoped to escape the manor without running into his mother. Draco sighed and released his handful of floo powder.

Draco placed his hands on the decorative mantel above the fireplace, "Mother."

"Draco, prejudices as deeply ingrained as your fathers are hard to dispel." Narcissa walked up to Draco and put her hand on his shoulder.

Draco tensed at the contact "and your prejudices mother?"

Narcissa sighed, "Draco sit with me please." Narcissa walked over to her large black chaise recliner. The receiving room which housed their main fireplace that connected to the floo network was decked out in subdued colors. The room wasn't gloomy, but the room wasn't welcoming either. Draco poured himself a drink before seating himself in front of his mother on a charcoal loveseat.

"I love you, and I want you to be happy," Narcissa began, "and I know I have not been the best mother or made things easy for you. I understand that you are your own man now but please do not shut me out."

"I am not trying to shut you out mother." Draco scrubbed his hands down his face.

Narcissa nodded, "but your father."

"Father," Draco mused, "is father. I cannot understand how you can defend him still."

"I know it is hard to understand, but your father was a good man once. A man that I fell in love with and devoted my life to. Give him a chance to change. People will act the way you treat them, and your father is no different."

Draco snorted, "Sure. I am sure you would love to have tea and biscuits with a mudblood." Narcissa flinched and furrowed her eyebrows.

"I am better than that Draco," Narcissa stated emphatically. "I would never disrespect anyone no matter their heritage. I may have done that in the past, but the war did not change only you!"

Narcissa stood and began to pace. "I watched people die needlessly too! I am sorry I love your father, but will you always punish me for it?

"I do not know." Draco stood and walked to the fireplace. As the green flames licked his trousers, he shouted his destination.

Draco emerged from the fireplace and transfigured his black robes into muggle blue jeans and a white t-shirt. The living room he entered was the opposite of the room he had just left. The room was light and welcoming. Photographs, both wizard, and muggle lined the walls and furniture were stylish yet comfortable. Draco could see the streetlights through the curtains, and a car pulls into the driveway across the street.

Draco walked to the kitchen and stood in the doorway observing the woman sitting at the dining table. She sat at a small rounded table with a floral tablecloth and beige accents. His witch almost looked out of place in the distinctly muggle environment. Draco furrowed his brow at the bruise paste slathered on the right side of her face. Still, she looked delectable with her rancorous curls piled on her head, haphazardly secured by a quill. She was sucking on the end of a sugar quill deep in thought and had yet to notice him watching her from the doorway. She was clearly agitated as she poured over the paperwork in front of her. Her vine wood wand sat next to her within arms reach. Draco leaned a shoulder against the door frame and cleared his throat. She jumped and grabbed her wand pointing at his face.

"Merlin Draco! You scared me! I could have cursed you" Hermione scolded.

"Well, I've only been standing here for five minutes. Some Auror you make" Draco snickered. Hermione made a rude hand gesture and went back to looking at what appeared to be a raid report.

Draco pulled out the chair across from her and snagged her cup of tea to take a big gulp. The tea was cold. Hermione laughed at his expression.

"Serves you right. The pot is on the stove, get your own."

"Do I even want to know what the hell happened to your face?" Draco inquired.

Hermione made a noncommittal noise.

"That good huh?"

Hermione sighed, "there was a raid on Avery senior's house and while I was escorting his mother off the premise when she got rowdy."

"Rowdy?"

"She punched me in the face."

Draco choked on Hermione's tea, "isn't Constance Avery like 102 years old?"

Hermione scowled, "shut it."

"Well I'm sure she is a very sturdy 102" Draco could barely contain his laughter.

"Did you come over just to give me the Mickey?" Hermione harrumphed.

Draco laughed again and then cleared his throat.

"No."

The serious tone made Hermione look up from her work.

"I got into it with my father again."

Hermione stood up and walked around the table. She squatted in front of Draco and placed her hands on his knees. Her honeyed eyes gazed at him in apathy.

"Draco don't let him get to you. He is a bitter man holding onto grudges from generations past."

"I know that, but he treats me as if I am a child. As if he can scare me into submission and it grates on my nerves" Draco groused.

"Well you could always tell him to piss off."

Draco barked out a laugh. She had that effect on him. He had come itching to have a fight with her over their relationship status and here she was making him laugh.

"I tell him to piss off regularly. I'm starting to think he is growing immune" Draco joked.

Hermione stood and snuggled up on Draco's lap. His arms wrapped around her on their own accord. Draco leaned in for a kiss, and the pulled back wrinkling his nose.

"What?"

"You smell like doxy droppings."

* * *

Hermione walked out of the shower and paused to observe Draco sleeping. The covers of her down comforter were draped low on his hips, and his chest was bare. Draco had filled out nicely over the years. He was no longer lanky with feature too sharp to be considered handsome. In fact, Hermione mused, she should probably magically extend her bed to accommodate his frame. Draco stirred as if aware of Hermione's penetrating gaze.

"Granger, come back to bed" Draco rolled over and pulled her pillow over his head.

Hermione walked over and sat down on his side of the bed and pulled the pillow off Draco's head to plant a kiss on his lips.

"Can't, I've already overslept and I've got to brief my department head on yesterday's raid."

Draco groaned, "what's the point of being best friends with your department head if you can't be late every once in a while?"

Hermione walked over to the closet and began riffling through for work robes. She was meticulously organized in every aspect of her life but her clothes.

"Yes well some of us can't stroll into work at half last nine every day" Hermione stated holding up a pair of navy robes to herself in the mirror. Hermione scraped the navy robes and went with black as usual. Hermione waved her wand, and her hair resumed its normal curly mess. She paused by Draco's side to drop him another kiss.

"I'll leave breakfast on the stove. Don't oversleep." Hermione walked out of the bedroom.

Draco showered at Hermione's and ate the full English she left out for him. He made it at exactly nine o'clock to the apparition point for the Ministry. He never used the floo from Hermione's house.

As the lunch hour dawned, Draco made his way to Hermione's office. When he arrived the door was ajar, and Ginny Potter was chatting animatedly to Hermione. Hermione sat at her desk bouncing a dark haired baby on her lap. Draco felt his chest tighten watching her delight in playing with Potter's baby.

Draco knocked once and stepped in. Ginny turned around to look at him with a skeptical expression.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get lunch?" Draco asked even though the presence of the female Potter meant she probably already had plans.

"Absolutely, Ginny and I are meeting Harry and Ron for lunch. We can all go eat together." Hermione smiled, and Ginny looked like she was sucking on a lemon.

"Perfect" Draco gritted his teeth.

Potter and Weasley were already seated in a booth at the back of the Leaky Cauldron. Potter stood up when he caught sight of his wife and pecked her cheek. She handed the baby to Harry and scooted in beside her brother. Hermione slid into the booth beside Weasley and Draco gritted his teeth. Everyone in the wizarding world was waiting with baited breath for them to announce their engagement and Hermione still sat next to the git. Draco slid in beside Hermione and draped his arm on the back of the booth behind her. Directly access from him Potter raised his eyebrows which Draco ignored while looking at the menu in front of him.

Hermione and Ginny talked the entire lunch hour while Harry and Ron supplied comments in between shoveling food into their mouths. Draco sat next to Hermione scowling. Weasley would continuously touch Hermione in small ways or talk about plans outside of work like he was throwing it in Draco's face that Hermione had a separate life that didn't include him.

When lunch was over Draco paid for his and Hermione's tab even though she argued that she could pay her own way. Draco walked away as the friends began saying goodbye. Hermione caught up to Draco a couple of meters outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Hermione was out of breath after running to catch up with him.

"Sorry I didn't feel like witnessing your and Weasley's love sesh. I'm sure the daily profit will love the cameo." Draco spat.

"Oh come off of it! You of all people know there is not a damn thing going on between Ron and me." Hermione huffed.

"Yeah well, maybe you should tell Weasley that."

Hermione snorted, "Ronald is well aware we are not romantically involved."

"That's right, he did dump you" Draco snapped.

Draco and Hermione had arrived back to the Ministry and were unaware of the stares they were receiving as their conversation become more heated.

"What is your problem!"

"My problem! Nothing is my problem!"

"Right, well when you are in a better mood you can come find me." Hermione stomped off toward her department.

Draco was fuming. She never took his concerns over Weasley seriously and always brushed them off as if he was silly. Draco's problem was that Hermione Granger was not his problem. To everyone else, he had no reason to be concerned about Hermione Granger, and that was exactly what kept him up at night. She would always be Hermione Granger, and he would always be Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger just didn't go together.


	3. Chapter 3

Theodore Nott hunched over gasping while blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Bloody hell Draco you win" Theo dropped to his knees and rolled onto his back.

Draco wiped the sweat from his brow and sat down next to Nott. It had been three weeks since Draco and Hermione's spat, and Draco's mood continued to get worse with each day that passed. Draco refused to see Hermione for one week before he caved and flooed to her house only to find her grate closed. The bloody witch had barred him from her floo. Three weeks of sleeping in the same house as his father was slowly driving him mad. Today he had needed to release some frustration and gone to the Nott estate. Theo was always game for a duel, but Draco's rage had even him throwing in the towel.

"You need to get laid mate" Theo wheezed.

"Unfortunately female companionship has been lacking lately."

"Well, why don't you just talk to this witch of yours."

Because she's not my witch, Draco thought darkly.

"She isn't talking to me at the moment" Draco supplied.

"Have you tried flowers? Chocolates? Ladies love that rubbish."

"She would probably send the flowers back in ashes."

"Ho, you must have really pissed her off then."

No one could hold a grudge like Hermione Granger.

"Look you know where she works. I don't see why you can't just show up at Granger's office and use some of that Malfoy charm. I mean she's already slept with you once so her judgment must not be all there." Theo reasoned resting his elbows on the mat of the dueling room.

Draco started, "why would I go see Granger?"

"Oh come off it. I saw you drag Granger into an empty classroom at the last war memorial at Hogwarts. I do believe no one saw either of you until the end of the night" Theo smirked.

"Have you told anyone?" Draco hissed.

"What? That you and Granger like to play professor and stud-"

Draco grabbed the front of Theo's robes bringing them nose to nose. "Nott."

"Salazar's pants, no I haven't told a soul. You need to relax. No one is going to care about you and Granger" Theo loosened Draco's hand from his robes and straightened them. "Look the key-"

Draco jumped to his feet "bloody hell the damn key! Nott, you're a genius!" Draco dashed out of the dueling room.

"So I've been told," Nott said to the empty room while standing clutching his side.

Draco disapparated home to find the key Hermione had given him. At the time, he thought it was ridiculous for her to give him a key. He was a wizard, and the likelihood of him using the front door was less likely than him buying a car. He had tried to buy an Aston Martin, but Hermione thought it would look out of place in her middle-class neighborhood.

Draco rummaged through his desk looking for the small copper colored key. It was amazing how much rubbish accumulated at the bottom of desk drawers. He would have to remember to ask a house elf to clean the drawers out. Draco was swirling the debris in his bottom desk drawer when he heard a clink.

Success, he thought holding the key up to the light of his second story window. Draco smirked and pocketed Hermione's house key.

* * *

"Hermione, don't you think that's a little extreme?" Ginny asked gently.

Hermione only muttered as she continued to fling male clothing into a box she had magically extended to fit all of Draco's belongings. Ginny sat on Hermione's bed watching her friend stomp around the bedroom.

"It's been three bloody weeks! He thinks he can do whatever the hell he wants! I can't believe he missed dinner with my parents! They flew all the way from bloody Australia to get to know him better!" Hermione was throwing objects into the box so hard Ginny heard something at the bottom shatter.

"I don't understand him!" Hermione sat down next to Ginny and flopped onto her back. "I can understand if I somehow made him upset but to miss dinner with my parents and then not to even contact me with an explanation? He knew how much I wanted him to spend time with my parents. Do you think I moved to fast?" Hermione kept transitioning from anger to heartbroken and then back to anger. Ginny decided it was best not to mention that Draco probably hadn't contacted her because she had barred him from her floo, least Hermione decide to get angry again.

"Hermione, maybe he forgot about dinner with your parents and-"

"He did not forget. I reminded him every week, and every time he promised he would be there" Hermione's voice took on a forlorn whine.

"Well it is bloody Malfoy-"The girls jumped when someone started pounding on the front door of Hermione's home. They could hear Draco's voice carrying from the outside and him cursing as the doorknob jiggled. "and that is my cue to leave" Ginny kissed Hermione's head as she left the bedroom.

* * *

Draco heard the fireplace flare as he opened the front door. That better not have been Weasley, he thought darkly. He could hear noise coming from the bedroom and stalked towards the door. Draco threw open the door to see utter chaos. His belongings were everywhere, and Hermione was standing on the bed directing everything into a box on the floor.

"Shite, what are you doing with all my belongs!" Draco jumped out of the way as his quidditch gear nearly took off his head.

"what does it look like I'm doing?" Hermione stated antagonistically.

"Turned into a fucking nutter, that's what!" Draco leaped into the air to snatch his toothbrush before it was flung into the damned box. "Woman, would you stop! "

"Fine" Hermione stepped off the bed and flounced past him.

Draco groaned and threw his toothbrush on the bed before following Hermione out into the living room.

"Look I'm sorry I haven't been around, but you don't need to go and pack up all my stuff." Draco gestured around to the house.

"Haven't been around?" Hermione shrieked. "Did you forget about my parents?

Her parents. How could he have forgotten about her parents visiting. She had been going on about it for a month none stop. Hermione didn't see her parents often because they had decided to stay in Australia after the war. Hermione took a portkey to Australia twice a year, but this trip her parents had decided to come back to England.

"Oy, Hermione. I honestly forgot" Draco stepped towards her. Hermione turned her nose up but allowed him to wrap her in his arms.

"I don't see how you could forget. I reminded you at least a hundred times." Hermione huffed

More like a hundred and one but who's counting, Draco thought.

"I was angry and got wrapped up in work. You know how I get when I see Weasley with his hands all over you. I didn't skip out on dinner with your parents intentionally."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Ron was not all over me. He is just my friend. He is one of my best friends, and you need to accept that if things are going to work out between us."

The problem was that Draco didn't think things would work out between them regardless.

"It's hard to accept that your ex-boyfriend plays center stage in your life." Draco hated that he was this dirty secret that no one in the wizarding world knew about or would accept.

"Ron does not play center stage in my life. It's not Ron who has taken over my bloody house with all his crap" Hermione pointed out.

"My stuff is not crap" Draco pouted. Hermione cracked a smile and sat on the couch. Draco sat down beside her and took one of her hands into his own. "I'm sorry I missed dinner with your parents." Draco brought her hand to his lips and pressed them against the back.

"I'm sorry I blocked you from the floo" Hermione muttered. Draco raised his eyebrows.

"And packed all your belongs." Hermione smiled sheepishly.

Draco sighed, "I best go unpack unless you really are kicking me out."

"Don't bother. I'll do it tomorrow. I've got something better for you to do." Hermione dragged Draco off the couch and toward the bedroom.

"Do you now?" Draco inquired as he goosed Hermione from behind.

They could deal with their secret love affair another day. Draco missed his witch and a good night's sleep.

* * *

****I want to thank everyone for the reviews and who are following this story! I want to mention Hermione's character so that everyone knows where I am coming from while writing. Hermione and Draco are my favorite characters in the entire HP serious. Hermione's character for me is complex. She can be caring and emotional but also logical and straight forward. I know you guys are hating Hermione right now, but I'm hoping as the story progresses you guys understand. I don't want to give any plot teasers but please stick around, and maybe your opinion will change. XOXO Lall****


	4. Chapter 4

The life of a pureblood wife was not an easy path. Duty to family and your husband were the rules a pureblood wife lived by. Narcissa Malfoy was no different from any other Malfoy bride, but never in her life did she expect to regret it. Lucius was supposed to be her guiding light. Together they were supposed to live a life of privilege, and until the Dark Lord, that is exactly the life they lived. The reign of the Dark Lord turned out to be the darkest times of Narcissa's life instead of the glorious utopia Lucius promised.

Narcissa once prided herself on being a model wife and a daughter that made her family proud. Fate was a cruel mistress. The only family she had left was her son whom almost died because she chose the wrong path. The only sister that survived the second war refused to speak to her or even acknowledge that she existed. Narcissa deserved no less after how she treated Andromeda. Narcissa's long list of mistakes made her eyes sting as she gazed out one of the many windows in the drawing room.

The same room she had stood by and watched children get tortured. The room where she watched a young girl show more strength than Narcissa ever imagined possible. The day she watched three children fight for their lives changed the way Narcissa looked at the world. Some think she saved Harry Potter's life because she saw an opportunity to save herself or her family but that's not why she did it. It is true that she saw an opportunity to rid the world of the Dark Lord. It's also true that by helping Harry Potter she would be saving herself and her family, but again that isn't what made her lie to the Dark Lord.

The day she watched Hermione Granger tortured in her drawing room by her sister showed Narcissa a valuable lesson. A lesson that at any other time in her life would have fallen on deaf ears and blind eyes. A mudblood of all things was better than her, Narcissa Malfoy. A mudblood had the strength and perseverance Narcissa prayed every night to possess. Three children showed her an opportunity. A mudblood and blood traitors showed her hope. Narcissa had experienced many emotions before that day. Greed, hate, envy, disgust, love, and lust but never hope. Narcissa learned guilt later, but that day she learned to hope. Hope for a future where her son could grow to become a better man.

Even Lucius seemed thankful that Narcissa had betrayed everything they stood for until he was sentenced to Azkaban. Narcissa and Draco were acquitted, but Lucius could not escape his crimes. The night Lucius was to be escorted to Azkaban he had tried to strangle Narcissa to death. Lucius was foaming at the mouth. Screaming that Narcissa ruined their lives and his imprisonment was her fault. She had cursed them to a life of disgrace instead of the exalted life they would have lived under the Dark Lord. Then Harry Potter had saved the day once again. He arrived just in time to stun Lucius before Narcissa had succumbed to the darkness. When Draco saw the marks on her throat, he vowed to kill his father.

Even after Lucius tried to kill her, she visited him in Azkaban once a week. It took two years for her to convince Draco to visit his father. Even then Draco only visited for Christmas and Easter, and each visit lasted only minutes before Draco cursed Lucius through his cell bars and stormed out. At the time Narcissa was thankful to have them in the same room.

Narcissa still didn't understand what made her plead for her husband's release. Maybe the love she still felt for the man who brought her flowers or the father who taught his son to ride a broom clouded her judgment. She thought perhaps eight years in Azkaban would show Lucius the proper path. In the end, it was just another mistake to add to the long list of transgressions Narcissa had committed.

Draco and her, in the absence of Lucius, had flourished. Harry Potter made sure that Narcissa and Draco escaped the harsh penalties of the war tribunal. In fact, over the years Narcissa had learned the real value of family from Harry. Harry frequently wrote to her while Lucius was in Azkaban. Harry would tell her about his life and even placed her in the front pew at his wedding. Narcissa had a magically concealed box of photos under her bed from the Potters of their children. Before Lucius's parole, Narcissa had attended most functions hosted by Harry and his wife. The Weasleys who Narcissa and her family had always treated as inferior welcomed her with open arms. It was more than she deserved and far more than she would have given if circumstances were reversed.

So why did she think bringing Lucius back into their lives would make things better. Hope is the only answer Narcissa could think of. Hope that her husband would leave Azkaban a changed man. The naivety of her thoughts on Lucius was not lost on Narcissa. If anything her musings only rubbed salt in her festering wounds. She had stupidly let her husband threaten the safety and happiness of her son.

Narcissa wondered idly when the love she once felt for her husband turned to hate. Love that once made her feel larger than life but now left the taste of ashes in her mouth.

A lot changed in two years but Lucius would always remain the same. She preached to Draco about forgiveness, but now she realized she should have been listening to her son. Lucius was not worth forgiveness. Narcissa's smarting eye and aching wrist proved that. She had stupidly sought out Lucius in his study after his talk with Draco. She wanted to help him see the world was changed and that their son had finally found his place. A place that did not include Lucius's way of thinking. Instead, Lucius's viciously backhanded her causing her to fall and injure her wrist.

Perhaps this was penance for her many crimes. I penance she would gladly pay if it ment Draco could live a life of happiness. However, Narcissa knew the abuses Lucius vested on her would pale in comparison to what Lucius would do if he knew the identity of the witch Draco loved. Narcissa could not allow her mistake to affect her son any more than it already did. Lucius monitored her comings and goings, but most evening he spent down in his cups. A simple sleeping potion in his fire whiskey would give Narcissa the ability to floo to the Potters house. Her black eye would be all the evidence needed to send Lucius back to Azkaban.

Narcissa turned from her position at the window when the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. Lucius stalked toward her in dark robes.

"Narcissa do not look so melancholy. We do not want others to think you are unhappy" Lucius lectured. In a different time, Narcissa would have apologized and corrected her behavior. Now she simply stared at her husband, but she needed to keep him from becoming suspicious. Even without a wand, Lucius Malfoy was still a dangerous wizard.

"Do you know where your son as ventured off to this time?" Lucius inquired.

"I am not sure. I have not seen him since the day he left your study my love" Narcissa kept her voice demure and cast her eyes downward.

Lucius clicked his tongue, "but I am sure you have an idea about where your only child spends all of his time." Narcissa knew exactly who Draco spent all of his time with but would rather cut our her own tongue than tell her husband.

"I assure you that I do not know any more than you." Narcissa chanced a look at Lucius's face and found his eyes calculating.

"Now Narcissa both of us know you aren't telling the truth. Are you wife?" Lucius hissed the word wife in deadly fury. Narcissa could feel perspiration begin to dot her forehead but resisted the urge swipe it away.

"Lucius please, I do not want to argue. When Draco arrives back home I promise to alert you immediately" Narcissa pleaded.

"Would that be before or after you drug me?"

Narcissa snapped her head up. She reached for her wand, but Lucius already had a wand pointed at her chest.

"You always were terrible at shielding your thoughts from me," Lucius stated as he brought the wand he was holding down in a sharp arc.

Narcissa's last thought was of Draco and how she failed him again.


	5. Chapter 5

Draco lifted one eyelid. Hermione was draped across his chest. Draco took a moment to let everything sink in. If he woke up like this every day for the rest of his life, he would die a happy man. The happiness he felt at this moment was like an elixir that couldn't be replaced.

He and Hermione had stayed up late in bed cuddling and talking. They had been so on edge the last couple of months that he couldn't remember the last night they had just talked the night away. They didn't talk about anything in particular, but Hermione regaled him with the tales from around the water cooler, and he told her the lasts gossip in Wizarding high society. At one point, Hermione had stood on the bed stark naked to reenact a particularly lively office dispute Weasley and Dean Thomas. When she collapsed on top of him giggling, he kissed her until she was breathless.

The alarm on the side of the bed started to ring. Hermione lifted her head and looked at him with bleary eyes. She reached across him to shut it off and plopped her head back on his chest.

"Do you work today?" Hermione stifled a yawn.

"Nope. It's a good thing too because I have to unpack" Draco gave her a knowing look. Hermione crawled up his body, so they were nose to nose.

"How about I take the day off and help you unpack?" Hermione wagged her eyebrows.

Draco wrapped his arms around her and flipped her onto her back.

Draco whispered, "deal," as pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

Draco sat in front of the telly watching the morning news when he heard the shower shut off. He got up and walked toward the bedroom as Hermione opened the door to the conjoining bathroom. Hermione smiled at him before rummaging in her closet.

"I was thinking we could go to Hogsmeade today" Hermione suggested emerging from the closet with a Muggle outfit.

"What do you need in Hogsmeade?" Draco wanted to stay home all day. After the night they had, he didn't want to venture into the public where they had to pretend to be casual acquaintances.

"The Hogweed Manor is finally on the market, and I think we should take a look at it" Hermione replied.

Draco furrowed his brow, "Why in Merlin's beard do you want to look at Hogweed Manor?"

Hermione groaned, "Draco, I told you about Hogweed Manor months ago. We need a bigger place, and the history of Hogweed is too rich to pass up. Can you imagine if we were able to restore it?"

"We?" Hermione sounded like she had plans for them to live together. Draco wanted nothing more than live together but she never mentions Hogweed Manor and they certainly never discussed living together.

Hermione gave him a strange look. "Yes, we, you dolt. Draco, you have been acting strangely recently. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. I just don't remember discussion Hogweed Manor" Draco responded.

Hermione chewed her bottom lip and looked concerned, "If you don't want to look at the Manor we don't have to. I just thought…" Hermione looked uncertain and turned to finish her hair.

Draco stood from the bed and came up behind her.

"Love, if you want to look at the Hogweed Manor then let's look at it." He would buy the estate for her if she wanted it that bad.

* * *

Draco stood in a musty decrepit house trying not to laugh. Hermione apparently loved everything from the rat invest library to the Bogart living in the basement. The rose garden was completely overgrown and probably housed enough magical creatures to make Hagrid happy. The rose garden was tame compared to the rest of grounds which connected to the Forbidden Forest. Only Hermione would love something this dastardly.

Hermione walked down the grand staircase glowing.

"Oh Draco isn't this place magnificent!"

"It's something alright," he snickered.

The solicitor for the estate looked smug. The bastard had Hermione right where he wanted her.

"Love, why don't you go look at the kitchen and elves quarters" Draco suggested.

Hermione skipped off probably making plans for an elaborate room for house elves she wanted to gainfully employ.

"So, Mister Malfoy it seems Miss Granger is quite smitten."

Draco rolled his eyes, "I will have my solicitor contact you to make arrangement for the purchase of this property."

The wizard looked like he was going to wet himself, "Very good, very good indeed."

Draco smiled, "I will have him drawn up a contract for one hundred thousand galleons."

The solicitor sputtered, "Mister Malfoy! That's only half the price the Hogweed family is asking."

"Well if the Hogweed's wanted more money then perhaps they should have taken better care of their property. I promise this will be the most generous offer you receive on the house. The repairs alone will cost thousands of galleons."

"This Manor and the outlying property are a prominent piece of Wizarding history!" he exploded.

"Then I will be doing the Wizarding community a favor by restoring it, won't I" Draco challenged.

The wizard continued to sputter and was turning red in the face.

Draco turned to find Hermione, whistling as he went.

* * *

The Three Broomsticks was packed, but Draco and Hermione were able to find a table near the bar. They were both supping on Shepard's pie, and Hermione drank deeply from her tanker of butterbeer while Draco sipped his fire whiskey.

"The solicitor was so flustered!" Hermione giggled.

"I can be a persuasive man," Draco winked.

"I am well aware of your persuasiveness Mister Malfoy," Hermione said coyly.

Draco chuckled at her antics.

"Really though Hermione, do you really want to live together?" Draco asked seriously.

Hermione gave him another strange look, "Draco, this is serious you and I, right?"

"It's very serious to me" Draco responded.

"We already practically live together. I want us to have a home of our own and to stay in my parent's old house in muggle London doesn't fit our needs. I don't think moving in together after two years together is rushing things, and I want us to move forward." Hermione reached across the table to hold his hand. "I love you."

"I love you too," Draco insisted, "but you've never really given any inclination that you wanted to progress our relationship."

Hermione looked at him queerly, "I'm sorry if I haven't been clear. I want to live together. I want us to start building our life together, and Hogweed Manor gives us the opportunity. I know it needs a lot of renovations, but it will give us time to sort out the arrangements for your father."

"Hermione, I would love nothing more than to start our life together."

Hermione beamed and squeezed his hand.

"Plus, I don't give a Hippogriffs backside about my father. Let him rot in Azkaban for all I care."

"Draco" Hermione scolded.

* * *

When they finished dinner, they took the floo from the Three Broomsticks back to Hermione's house. Draco wanted to stay the night, but he needed to get back to the Manor and check on his mother. He didn't trust his father alone with his mother. His mother might love his father, but her part in the downfall of his precious Dark Lord meant Lucius only put up with her because he couldn't kill her.

The Manor was dark when Draco stepped out of the fireplace and into the parlor. The perk of returning late meant he wouldn't run into either of his parents. He quickly made his way to his quarters and shut the door. He would rather be cuddled up next to Hermione instead of sleeping in the Manor. The prospect of living together in Hogweed Manor, however, gave Draco something to look forward to. Today had been a step in the right direction for their relationship.

Draco laid back in his bed and decided he would talk to his mother tomorrow about Lucius. They couldn't continue to live with him and be happy. His father was holding him back from leading a life with Hermione and Draco wasn't about to let him ruin the best thing in his life. His mother would understand. Draco knew that she wasn't happy having Lucius back in the house. If Draco came clean and told her he wanted to move out to be with Hermione, he doubted she would object. For all his mother's flaws, he knew that she wouldn't begrudge him the happiness of leading a full life filled with love. The prospect of having grandchildren would also sweeten the pot. His mother would choose her potential grandchildren over her husband any day.

The Manor seem eerily quiet, but Draco closed his eyes and thought of Hermione. He always thought he would be married before buying a house with someone. He never wanted to live in the Manor after the war, but he didn't think he would be renovating some centuries old Manor. Leave it to Hermione to completely alter the way he planned to live his life. You'd think he would loathe it, but he found himself smiling as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N:** So sorry for the wait! I got completely wrapped up in writing another fic, but I promise I will focus on writing and updating this story. It doesn't help that school right now is complete garbage. A huge thank you to everyone who is faving and following this story! You guys are the best! I also want to thank everyone who has left comments!

 **delany16789:** I'm sorry your losing hope in Hermione! I want to say that you will love her eventually but I guess our vision of her is different. Seriously though, your are awesome for always reading and reviewing!

XOXO Lall


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